COCA COLA FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP
PLAY OFFS 2006

Watford took their place in the Premiership with a 3-0 cruise against Leeds. The lowest playoff crowd for a number of years saw Watford make it through a match that was flattered by its 3-0 scoreline.

On 15th April, with three games of the regular football season still to play, the play off contenders were finalized - Watford, Leeds, Preston and Crystal Palace.

A glance at the current form for the last 6 matches of the regular season shows that Preston were the form team with the others in the middle and Leeds in the bottom half of the table:

Team

Pd

W

D

L

F

A

GD

Pts

Form

1

Preston North End

6

5

1

0

10

2

8

16

W W W W D W

2

Southampton

6

5

0

1

12

5

7

15

W W W W L W

3

Reading

6

4

2

0

17

6

11

14

W W D W D W

4

Sheffield United

6

3

3

0

8

5

3

12

D W W D D W

5

Crewe Alexandra

6

3

2

1

11

7

4

11

W W D D L W

6

Coventry City

6

3

2

1

9

6

3

11

L D W D W W

7

Sheffield Wednesday

6

3

2

1

6

3

3

11

D L W W D W

8

Luton Town

6

2

3

1

7

6

1

9

W D L W D D

9

Watford

6

2

3

1

7

7

0

9

L D D W W D

10

Norwich City

6

3

0

3

7

8

-1

9

W L L W W L

11

Plymouth Argyle

6

2

2

2

6

5

1

8

W D D L L W

12

Crystal Palace

6

2

2

2

7

7

0

8

W L D D W L

13

Wolverhampton Wanderers

6

2

2

2

6

8

-2

8

L D D L W W

14

Stoke City

6

2

1

3

12

9

3

7

D W L L L W

15

Hull City

6

1

4

1

5

5

0

7

W L D D D D

16

Burnley

6

1

4

1

2

2

0

7

D W D D L D

17

Leicester City

6

2

1

3

6

7

-1

7

L W L D W L

18

Leeds United

6

1

3

2

3

5

-2

6

L D D D W L

19

Brighton and Hove Albion

6

2

0

4

5

11

-6

6

W L W L L L

20

Derby County

6

1

2

3

3

11

-8

5

L W D D L L

21

Millwall

6

1

1

4

4

10

-6

4

L L D L W L

22

Ipswich Town

6

1

0

5

6

11

-5

3

L L L L W L

23

Queens Park Rangers

6

0

1

5

6

11

-5

1

L L D L L L

24

Cardiff City

6

0

1

5

6

14

-8

1

L L L D L L

In previous years, those teams with "momentum" or the best points record in the previous 6 matches in terms of current form, have done best. In four football seasons out of six, the team with best or joint best form has won the playoffs. Until Leeds United this season, the club with worst current form has never made it to the playoff final. The final four teams have never had as cumulative a bad current record as the those contesting this year's playoffs.

Winner

Points

Runner Up

Points

Semi Loser

Points

Semi Loser

Points

Year

2004/5

W Ham (6th)

12

Preston

11

Derby

12

Ipswich

9

2003/4

Palace (6th)

13

W Ham

11

Ipswich

11

Sund'land

8

2002/3

Wolves (5th)

12

Sheff Utd

11

Reading

12

N Forest

6

2001/2

Birmham (5th)

13

Norwich

14

Millwall

13

Wolves

8

2000/1

Bolton (3rd)

13

Preston

13

Birmham

9

West Brom

6

1999/0

Ipswich (3rd)

15

Barnsley

8

Bolton

16

Birmham

7

The fourth placed team has not won in the last 6 years. Home advantage in the second leg does not seem to have been relevant. Not a single match this year was won by the home team.

For those looking for a flutter on the outcome, who are the favourites?

Current odds with William Hill

Leeds are current favourites. Don't put your shirt on them though! Leeds replica kits are starting to sell like hot cakes at the Leeds club shop.

The final at Cardiff is on Sunday 21 May. All matches live on SkySports.

With Leeds United in the final, demand for playoff tickets will be high. Leeds tickets go on sale on 10th May. Expect "corporate" and "hospitality" tickets to be very expensive.

This is the twentieth season of playoffs to football's highest division. 13 different clubs have won the final, of whom 6 are still in the Premiership. Palace have won the most times (3). Of the other current current contenders, Watford have won once and Leeds and Preston not at all. This was Preston's 3rd appearance in the playoffs in 5 years, having lost out previously to Bolton and West Ham.

CoolBlue the portal for everything that's Cool, although not necessarily Blue! Visit our directories of useful sites or our useful CoolBlue Guides for free advice on everything from making money from your website to calculating how much camera memory you need. Leeds Playoff Tickets.